perhaps.’ Daniel laughed ruefully. ‘Marry a fortune to pay my debts—that would be a little hard on the young woman, do you not think so?’
‘It is often the case that a young woman of fortune has little else to commend her to a husband. Look for a plain chit, my boy, and she will be grateful to you. She will give you a couple of sons and then you may both live as you please. It is done all the time.’
‘I know you are right, sir, but I shall try to sort my problems myself if I can.’
‘Well, you don’t need advice from me.’ The earl frowned, suddenly seeming very toubled. ‘It was odd the way Marcus died… His groom told me that he found a sore beneath the saddle when he groomed the wretched beast, which might explain why a man who was an excellent rider fell and broke his neck. I just can’t understand how it happened. He should not have taken the horse out in such a state—though Jed swears there was nothing there when he saddled up that morning. If something caused the horse to chafe, it must have got there between Marcus leaving home and returning that evening. He had, of course, been drinking in the village inn, though I have been told he was not drunk when he left.’
‘Is the groom still in your employ, sir?’
‘No, he left me a week or two back. Lives in the village, name of Jed Bailey—why?’
‘Marcus was a damned good rider, but something must have made his horse bolt the way it did…’ Daniel frowned, remembering his cousin’s confusing letter ‘The coroner brought in a verdict of misadventure. Is there any reason to think there might have been foul play?’
‘None then and none now,’ the earl admitted. ‘Marcus was in with a bad crowd, though I do not know who they were—but I sensed he was hiding something from me.’
‘I should like your permission to investigate a little, sir.’
The earl looked at him thoughtfully. ‘You know something I don’t, of course. Don’t want to tell me?’
‘I know very little, sir—but I intend to find out.’
‘Take care, then. If whoever was behind what happened to Marcus learns you are poking your nose in, he won’t stop there. I would rather nothing happened to you, Daniel.’
‘I shall be on my guard. Besides, there may be nothing in it.’
‘You wouldn’t be bothering to investigate if you thought that. Is Cheadle behind this, Daniel?’
‘What makes you think that, sir?’
‘No reason. Just don’t trust the man.’
‘Well, neither do I—but I don’t think him a murderer. He may be ruthless at cards, perhaps even a cheat, though he played fair with me the other night—but I doubt he was involved in my cousin’s death.’
‘Well, I wish you good luck, but don’t get killed, my boy. I am relying on you to guide my heir if I pop off before he is old enough to manage the estate.’
‘I shall be delighted to help young Paul if I can.’
‘That was my hope. You will tell me whatever you discover?’
‘Of course. When I am certain.’
‘You have no immediate plans for marriage, I take it?’
‘None at the moment, sir. I am not sure any young woman would put up with me. I have little to offer.’
The earl shook his head. ‘Do not put yourself down, my boy. Walk down to the estate office with me, Daniel. I have a building project I should like your advice on.’
‘Willingly.’ Daniel set his glass down. ‘I shall be pleased to see your plans for the new cottages.’
‘Well, Miss Eliza, so we shall be losing you soon.’ Mr Jones, the estate manager, smiled at her as she explained her reason for bringing in the letter. ‘But you will enjoy living in Bath or London, I dare say—more life for you there than here, I imagine.’
‘I like being in the country, sir,’ Eliza replied. ‘I shall miss my friends here, but it is time I started to support myself.’
‘Mrs Jones would have taken you at the house if there were a mistress,’ the manager said. ‘I had a word with her a while ago, but there was only menial work and she didn’t think it right that Parson Bancroft’s daughter should scrub floors. She will be very pleased to learn you are to apply for a position as a companion to a lady. She was only saying last night that it was what you ought to do.’
‘That was kind of her,’ Eliza replied. She knew the estate manager had let her have the cottage for longer than he truly ought, because there were estate workers needing a place to live. ‘Give your wife my good wishes, sir. I should get back now. I want to give Betty a hand with the garden.’
‘I’ll send your letters later this afternoon,’ Ted Wright promised. ‘Take care now, lass.’
‘Yes, I shall,’ Eliza said and opened the door to leave. She was startled by the arrival of two gentlemen who had been about to enter, flushing as she saw the earl and the man whose horse had almost knocked her down earlier. ‘I beg your pardon, my lord.’
‘No matter,’ the earl said, his eyes narrowing in recognition. ‘Ah, yes, Miss Eliza Bancroft. I was sorry to have to ask you to leave the cottage, but Jones told you we had a family waiting for it, I dare say? And I did not feel it was quite safe for you to stay there alone, considering the situation locally. You will have heard of the missing girls, not girls of quality, of course, but still it is worrying. You have settled in with Wright and his wife, I believe?’
‘Yes, my lord.’ Eliza dipped a curtsy, understanding his reasoning for more than one young village girl had gone missing over the past two years. ‘I knew I could not stay for ever, sir. Besides, I hope to find work soon, perhaps in London or Bath.’
‘Well, that is excellent news,’ the earl said. ‘Ah, Jones, I am glad I caught you. I wanted to take another look at the plans for the new cottages.’
As the earl moved off to speak with his manager, Eliza looked at the younger man. His eyes went over her, brows lifted in a question.
‘You are recovered from your fright, Miss Bancroft?’
‘Yes, thank you, sir. I was not truly hurt at all,’ she said, but her heart did a little flip as she caught the pleasant scent of cologne that hung about him. She recalled the feeling that had shot through her when he licked her hand and felt her cheeks burn. ‘Excuse me, I must not keep you from your business.’
He inclined his head and moved aside, but she felt his eyes on her as she went out through the open door. After a few steps she looked back and saw he was still watching her. She had never seen eyes quite as arresting as his before. Not knowing why, she gave him a wide smile and a little wave before turning back and walking away. Her heart was beating too fast and she wondered why this second meeting within a short space of time should affect her so much?
Eliza smiled to herself. If Daniel Seaton were going to visit his uncle more often, it might be best that she would soon be leaving Norfolk. It would not do for her to meet him too often, because she could easily begin to like
